River Island Considers Supplier Discounts in Response to Quality Issues

River Island has cautioned that it may return apparel orders to vendors due to concerns regarding quality and fit.

As reported by The Times, the fashion retailer has been requesting price reductions on products that it feels fall short of their quality criteria, indicating they will return these items if vendors fail to comply.

One vendor mentioned that River Island asserted a delivery of tops valued at hundreds of thousands of pounds was “a bit too short.” They threatened to return the complete delivery unless a price reduction was granted.

Another vendor observed that River Island’s requests for retrospective price reductions—discounts applied after invoicing—have noticeably escalated lately.

Reports suggest that River Island has elevated its invoice discount rate from 5% to 10%, leading to discontent among suppliers.

“They’ve become exceedingly meticulous about open costings,” a supplier remarked. “When we quote a product price, they demand comprehensive breakdowns, ensuring we are factoring in that 10%.”

An employee from River Island’s headquarters indicated that Jane Eskriett, the newly appointed co-managing director, has been proactively altering the supplier approach by discontinuing many current suppliers and onboarding new ones.

Eskriett joined the firm last year from Boohoo, alongside her co-managing director Richard Grainger, who has experience with Next.

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